


Class

by narsus



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-12
Updated: 2010-10-12
Packaged: 2017-10-12 15:25:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/126353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/narsus/pseuds/narsus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sebastian invites Sherlock to dinner: Sherlock uses the opportunity to exact a little high handed revenge.  Post-The Blind Banker.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Class

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Sherlock belongs to the BBC, Mark Gatiss & Steven Moffat and obviously in the genesis of it all to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

When Sherlock announces that they've been invited to dinner John assumes that it has something to do with Mycroft, which is why it's a surprise that the invitation turns out to have come from Sherlock's obnoxious banker friend instead. John isn't entirely sure that the term 'friend' should really apply but he's at a loss to come up with a better descriptor and isn't quite sure that he wants to try. As it turns out the dinner invitation looks like it was only actually extended to Sherlock but John's been dragged along and for some reason the objectionable Sebastian chooses not to object to that. He doesn't accept John's presence with anything like good grace if the annoyed looks he keeps shooting John when he thinks that John isn't looking are anything to go by but he does at least inform the maître d' that there'll be three to dine instead of the expected two.

Since Sebastian appears to be spending a lot of money on the affair the staff are accommodating and quickly set about adding a third place setting to what would otherwise be an intimate, discreet balcony table for two. Sherlock has the graciousness to sit in the middle much to John's relief though that does leave John facing the evidently annoyed banker instead. The wait staff are about to whisk away the delicate vase with its tastefully understated flowers that sits in the centre of the table but Sherlock gestures for them to leave it be, claiming to find the flowers charming. The fact that he uses the word 'charming' itself sets off alarm bells for John. Dinner will be difficult enough with Sebastian's gaze boring into him without Sherlock indulging in some bizarre game of his own.

Oddly, as if sensing John's discomfort Sherlock is the one to make conversation at the table, chatting lightly about indistinct topics. His talk is lively but vapid, never quite focusing on anything he'd usually talk to John about. John instead gets to hear about how London in the rain is _ghastly_ , how Sotheby's is 'branching out' and isn't that just so gauche, how Sherlock doesn't know how _anybody_ could call Banksy an artist because nobody even knows who he is and how Britain doesn't need a coalition in power because what's needed is a man like Francis Urquhart. Sebastian points out that Francis Urquhart is fictional and Sherlock laughs airily. When Sherlock finally stops tossing his head back and laughing as if he hasn't a serious thought in his head the waiter who has been standing by patiently takes their orders. Along with the meal itself Sherlock orders scotch for John and white wine for himself. Sebastian attempts to suggest something else apparently having some knowledge of what wines clash with which dishes but Sherlock tells him not to be a bore and calls him 'darling' on the end of that in a very dismissive tone.

After the starter John tries to sip his scotch without wincing because this is obviously part of Sherlock's game but fails completely. Sherlock immediately calls for a waiter to take that 'blasted stuff' away and get John a different drink, and as John watches the staff scurry to do Sherlock's bidding Sherlock places a hand over John's and apologises for the scotch not being up to standard in a way that both suggests that Sebastian's choice of restaurant isn't a very good one and that John is use to much finer establishments. John attempts to deflect the apology and Sherlock laughs that high, vapid laugh again and announces that he knows absolutely nothing about scotch and that he usually leaves that sort of thing to John and his brother since they're the experts. When he removes his hand and takes up his wineglass with it instead he moves onto a whole digression about how John and his brother get along _wonderfully_ and how he's so glad that Mycroft approves. What Mycroft approves of goes unsaid but John is starting to suspect what Sherlock's trying to imply anyway.

The rest of the meal goes like that and by the time it comes to order desert it's obvious that Sherlock's flighty, arrogant, cutting manner is wearing Sebastian down. Even John's starts to feel bad for Sebastian by that point and thankfully when both he and Sebastian decline desert and instead order coffee Sherlock follows suit rather than prolonging the experience, though coffee is still an excruciating experience as Sherlock continues to prattle on inanely. Eventually he comes back to the topic of fictional politicians and how apparently both John and Sebastian know of the sort who simply shouldn't be allowed into government. Sebastian singles in on that and starts talking about national service and how it really would be useful to get 'those louts' off the streets, looking directly at John as he says it. His smug expression is all the indication needed for anybody to see that he obviously thinks he's scored a hit but Sherlock immediately turns the tables by asking John if there really were any troops like that and then forging on, before John can reply, to say that of course they'd never become officers. That throws Sebastian who clumsily asks John's rank before he realises that that's exactly the wrong thing to say. Sherlock repeats the question in a tone of voice that suggests that he's just waiting for John's reply to set off another nasty laugh at Sebastian's expense. John doesn't disappoint, remembering exactly why he finds Sebastian insufferable in the first place. He not only gives his rank but adds that army service is a family tradition and so is medicine but usually not combined. Sebastian's face blanches and John looks at Sherlock in confusion. Sherlock's response is to hold John's hand again and smile cruelly at Sebastian while he explains, apparently for John's benefit, that both military service and the professions aren't really Sebastian's thing. He goes on to praise the fact that Sebastian's 'done well' doing what he does in a tone that makes Sebastian look distinctly uncomfortable before delivering the coup de grâce by turning once more to John and explaining that Sebastian's people aren't quite his sort.

The meal winds up swiftly after that, Sebastian fumbling with his platinum credit cards to pay the bill at which point Sherlock decides that they're leaving. He smiles down at the still seated Sebastian when he stands up in a way that John is certain would make Mycroft proud. They're right by the table still when Sherlock takes John's arm and smirking, states that of course you call tell all in the manners. John hears Sebastian attempt to scramble to his feet behind them but doesn't look back to see what's bound to be a mortified expression.

"He's just so..." Sherlock waves a hand airily, dismissively

Money can of course buy a lot of things John knows, and Sebastian clearly has plenty of it, but what he doesn't have is the necessary arrogance cultivated by generations of upper class breeding. John grins. He knows exactly what Sherlock means after all but neither of them would ever be so gauche as to say it.

**Author's Note:**

> Banksy is the famously subversive British street artist whose identity is still unknown.  
> Francis Urquhart is the main character in the British political TV trilogy _House of Cards_.  
>  Traditionally officer ranks in the military and the professions were the province of the upper classes. Today still law and medicine are particularly upper middle class pursuits.   
> The joke of course is that if you have to say 'new money' and think of yourself as 'old money' in comparison then you're obviously not.


End file.
